What would have happened had Mark Martin won the Daytona 500?

So often in our lives we wonder, ‘What if?’ How would things be different? How changed would we be?

I wonder all the time. And every year around this time I ponder, ‘What if Mark Martin had won the 2007 Daytona 500?’ How would things have changed for him? Would he be a different man? Or would he always have the same attitude?

Five years ago this weekend, Mark Martin was leading on the final lap of the Daytona 500. Mark Martin fans from sea to shining sea must have thought, ‘Is this a dream?’ as they watched Martin in the No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet lead the pack off the final turn at Daytona, gunning neck-to-neck with Kevin Harvick for the race win.

What could have been a dream turned into a nightmare. At least in the eyes of many fans.

Bolting down the backstretch for the final time, just after FOX’s Darrell Waltrip proclaimed that Mark was “driving the race of his life,” Kyle Busch stepped out of line behind Mark’s No. 01 car to try and block the hard charging duo of Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth.

Martin was all alone.

This CIA Stock Photo shows the beginning of the wreck

With Busch far behind, they drove through turns three and four, Martin and Harvick door to door. And then it happened.

Chaos, pandemonium, mayhem, total bedlam.

Through it all, Mark Martin’s spotter Jeremy Brickhouse told him to keep the “hammer down,” and pedal as hard as he could to the finish.

Cars spinning and crashing, sheet metal twisted up like you’d never seen before, and Clint Bowyer’s No. 07 ended up on fire and on its top crossing the start/finish line.

No caution flag was thrown. I repeat, no caution flag was thrown as cars wrecked and slammed into one another behind Martin and Harvick.

The wreck keeps going. (File photo)

It’s been named by Yahoo! as one of the top five Daytona 500 finishes in history, and a replay that has become a favorite of FOX over the past five seasons.

But it’s also a disappointment to NASCAR fans. If seeing Dale Earnhardt Sr. win the Daytona 500 was a big deal, Mark Martin taking the checkers might have been a close second. The way that the end of the race was handled still hurts to watch today.

“If Kyle Busch doesn’t wreck,” Martin told ESPN before the 2009 Daytona 500, “I think I win the Daytona 500.”

On pit road Martin got out of his car, having finished just .02 seconds behind Harvick, and had a huge smile on his face.

Harvick edged Martin by .02 seconds (File)

“I haven’t even seen the finish. It is what it is,” Martin said. “We were inches or feet or whatever. We were short. It was so close, but it was second. I let it slip away, slip through my fingers, and I’m fine with that. I am very proud of what this team did for me this weekend.”

An MSNBC.com article written a few days after the race said, “Every incident proved it’s past time for NASCAR to have a very clear rule book. Otherwise everything will always be arbitrary…”

 “I thought they were going to throw the yellow flag, they were wrecking behind us … That’s just the way things go. I wanted to drive a fast car and they gave me that,” Martin added.

J.J. Martin, a fellow Markaholic, told me a few years ago, “After the 2007 Daytona 500, when other drivers would have been crying a river, Mark stood tall and accepted that he didn’t win. We know who really won that race.” (see more on the Markaholics from a 2010 article I did here)

Martin is known for his second place finishes. Five times he’s finished second in the points. Twice he’s finished runner-up at Indianapolis at the Brickyard 400 (often considered NASCAR’s second most prestigious race behind the 500 in Daytona). But only once has Mark Martin been so close to winning the Harley J. Earl trophy.

And Mark Martin didn’t pout, didn’t complain and didn’t pull a Will Power (For a non-family friendly photo check here) when things didn’t go his way.

Mark Martin is known as a loveable loser. Even in defeat he sees a positive. When he walked into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Brickyard 400 media day in 2009 (with yours truly in attendance) two weeks after capturing win four of the ’09 season, he had a huge smile on his face.

One reporter asked, “How does it make you feel to be the series leader in wins?”

He responded, “It’s nice, It’s really nice…You know me, I’m down playing it. It’s really nice. I can’t imagine anyone having a better life than me. It’s all good. Just like I said Saturday night at Chicago I’m really living a dream and things are beyond my dreams right now. I’ve been incredibly blessed with a great family, great friends, a great career and now with a great team and we’ve had our share of success. It’s great.”

To see a man who, for all accounts, should hold some grudges over past experiences, be so happy, upbeat and positive, is a real eye-opener to those of us who may get down on ourselves over the little things.

Mark at the Brickyard in 2009

Mark Martin is a role model for fans in this way. Whenever he gets out of his car, whether he wins or finishes 43rd, you can see a genuine smile on his face. And he has no qualms about finishing second, as he did to Jimmie Johnson in the 2009 Brickyard 400. He was just happy to have a chance to be in position to win.

“I'd love to have won the race,” he said. “But I'm very grateful to have had a chance at it. I got beat. I didn't get her done. But I gave it my heart. So did my race team. I'm grateful for it.”

He could have been disappointed. No one would have blamed him. But instead, he was happy to have an opportunity. Sometimes you learn more from losing than you do from winning. And being humble has become Mark’s calling card over the years.

On Thursday at the preseason media day in Daytona, Mark had a chance to address the 2007 Daytona 500 all over again.

“No, it doesn't bother me at all,” he said. “None. Why should it? ... I have not lost one ounce of sleep over it, other than when I missed it by three feet in 2007.”

This season will mark Martin’s 28th chance to win “The Great American Race,” and while he wants to win it as much as his other competitors, Martin realizes that winning one race doesn’t make or break a man’s career.

“Nobody ever told me I was going to be the greatest of all time,” he told reporters. “I figure I'm darn lucky to have been able to be in this sport, stumble around and win a few things. I'm not owed anything ... I've been lucky enough to win a few races. You don't get to choose which ones they are.”

And that was his point at Indianapolis a few years back. ‘Hey, I’m glad I can win a race, and I certainly appreciate having a chance because I don’t know if I’ll ever win one again.’ Yet he can teach us all to be grateful for the chances we have.

The 2011 season in NASCAR was one chock full of first-time winners: Trevor Bayne in the Daytona 500, Regan Smith in the Southern 500 and Paul Menard in the Brickyard 400. All winners for the first time in the sport’s most iconic, historic and important races couldn’t believe they’d won. But all were gracious and thoroughly appreciated their chance.

Mark Martin felt that way as a young driver as well. “When I was a teenager, I thought I was going to win the Daytona 500,” he said. “Ain't happened. But it hasn't stopped me from trying.”

 

A Yahoo! Sports article on Thursday afternoon might have said it best: “Back in 1982, Martin showed up at his first Daytona 500 with his own car and no sponsor and left here broke. He's in a little better shape now ... and maybe, just maybe, he can get that win that's eluded him for so long. At this point, he's got as good a chance as anyone ... but even if he doesn't close the deal, he's doing just fine.” 

Mark Martin may never win the Daytona 500, and that may pain fans who want nothing more than to see NASCAR’s most respected driver in Victory Lane at Daytona. But knowing that Mark Martin is happy just having a chance to win, just having a chance to race and do something he loves, is something that should make us all happy.

Mark Martin may never formally be a champion, but in the eyes of his fans, he’s already won so much.

Breaking: Former UC coach Tresey hired at Youngstown State

According to FootballScoop.com, former UC defensive coordinator Joe Tresey, who spent the last three years at three different positions after leaving UC, has been hired to be the defensive coordinator at Youngstown State.

Tresey, who spent 2011 as the defensive coordinator at UCLA, 2010 in the UFL with the Omaha Nighthawks and 2009 as defensive coordinator at South Florida will take over at YSU after the departure of Rick Kravitz.

Tresey is from Warren, Ohio. The NBC affiliate in Youngstown has some more information on Tresey's hiring at YSU.

Having worked around Joe Tresey I can tell you, he’s going to be a good hire for the Penguins of Youngstown State. And, knowing him on the personal level that I do, I’m excited for Coach Tresey to have landed a job so close to where he grew up. I know he’s probably excited about it too.

Valentines Day: What I love

“Who doesn’t love love?”—Denny Hamlin

“I love love.”—David Reutimann

It’s Valentines Day, the day of love. Those folks that visit the blog regularly know I love a lot of things, and those things often present themselves in photos and in the text of these great blog postings. Love, in all its forms, is in the air on a day like today. And no matter if you’re single, married or somewhere in between, I hope you’ve had time to tell someone you love them today (and why does Valentines Day have to be relegated to romantic love? That’s such a narrow view of love, but that’s for another day, I’m sure).

While I love a lot of people very few people can compare to the longest love relationship I can have with someone who doesn’t share my last name (and you’ll have to wait to find out who, or what, that person, or thing, is).

I love my friends, the people who, through thick and thin, have stuck it out. They’re the people who make me laugh, make me smile and pick me up when I’m down. It’s not a hard job for the most part, it’s just very thankless.

And for some of my friends working with me has become the reason we’re more than just co-workers. Colleagues become friends, and friends are friends forever.

I love my job too, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say that. While it is totally demanding (just ask my friends who rarely get to see me anymore) it is still worthwhile. I’d ask when the last time was that anyone got paid to go to Hawaii and Miami, Fla., within the same month, but I’m not sure too many people have. And, as I stated earlier, I love working with the people I work with. They’ve become my friends, and friends are good.

UC Head coach Butch Jones before the Liberty Bowl

Since I love my job, I must admit I love college football too. Even with all of its flaws, college football is still pretty awesome. It’s not exactly as “pure” as high school football, I would argue, but it is fun to be a part of and fun to watch.

I love writing too. One of my teachers noted on the first day of class for this quarter that graduate students need to love to write, or they’re going to have some trouble with graduate studies. Well, I won’t admit to being “in love” with grad school, scholarly type writing, but I can tolerate it. I’m truly at my best when writing here. And I’m thankful I can.

I love my family too, don’t let me give you the wrong impression. They give up more time with me than they ever should have to because my job is so demanding. But they take it in stride and have supported me every step of the way. Without them, I’d be lost.

I also love the one person in my life who is closer to me than almost anyone else ever has been, my best friend Sarah. She may never read this (she’s kind of busy taking care of her newborn, and for that I will give her a pass!) and even though she knows I love her, I always make sure to give her the “props” she rightfully deserves.

Oh, and you know that person/thing I told you about earlier that I’ve loved longer than anything else in my life? Could you figure that out? Was it easy?

I never thought I'd ever get to do anything like this. Dreams do come true

It’s NASCAR.

And my obsession/passion/love for the sport has allowed me to combine all the above aspects (yes, including friends and family) of my life and has allowed for them to see my passion for the sport emerge and grow throughout my nearly 20 years as a fan. My love for the sport will never change, and my passionate following of the sport will always be a point of emphasis in my life.

I will introduce myself, “Hi, my name is Adam, and I love NASCAR. No really, I do.”

In fact, when my boss’s wife asked me what I was doing on Saturday after work, I mentioned I’d be watching a race that doesn’t count for points, and that my favorite driver wasn’t even participating in. “And why?” she asked.

And before I could answer, my boss said it best, “Because he’s been waiting all winter to watch it.” I’ve worn off on him, and that makes me smile.

The Beatles said “All You Need is Love,” and they weren’t kidding. But on Valentines Day when so many people are focused on romantic love, maybe we should all take a step back and recognize there’s more to love than just one singular person.

Tell someone you love them today, and every day.

Martin locked into Daytona 500

Michael Waltrip Racing expanded operations this offseason from two cars to three cars, meaning one of the teams wasn’t locked in for the Daytona 500 (or the next four races on the schedule). That has changed.

Bob Pockrass of SceneDaily.com reported the news on Monday afternoon.

Martin (with Claire B Lang) at Indy last year

According to reports (including the above article) FAS Lane, owned by Frank Stoddard, finished 34th in owner points last season with the No. 32 car. FAS Lane got points after the 2010 season from Latitude 43 Motorsports and team owner Bill Jenkins, who is now listed as the owner the No. 55 that Michael Waltrip will drive in Saturday evening’s Budweiser Shootout.  

A number of drivers including Terry Labonte and Ken Schrader drover the No. 32 last season (for a full list click here). FAS Lane, according to Pockrass, may still enter the Daytona 500 with Labonte as a driver, using Labonte’s past champion’s provisional.

Martin is scheduled to run 25 races (and the All-Star race) in the No. 55 this season and Waltrip is scheduled to run six (plus the Shootout). According to this release MWR is still looking for a driver for the other six races. Both Martin and Waltrip have said via Twitter that they’re still looking. For Martin’s schedule visit his website and check out the schedule bar on the left side of the page.

Big Ten recruiting wars get personal

As I’ve stated a few times on Twitter, there’s never a dull day in division one college football. Recruiting seems to be a year long process (and if you don’t believe me, you’ve never had my job) full of official and unofficial visits, recruiting films (the part I deal with most often) and adults swooning over 17 and 18 year old young men.

No, seriously. That’s why over a week ago I lambasted National Signing Day as a time that isn’t worthy of all the media coverage it gets.

Except in the Big Ten, where the conference’s coaches have a “gentlemen’s agreement” on committed players. Players who verbally commit to a Big Ten school (verbally committing of course is non-binding, and players can only officially sign to play at a school on National Signing Day in February) are committed to that school, and all other schools must back off of their recruiting until the player decides, if he decides, he wants to open up his recruiting again.

This year, new Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer was publically attacked by numerous Big Ten counterparts for breaking that gentleman’s agreement, sparking furor that played out in the media and in the blogosphere.

If that gentlemen’s agreement has been broken, then gentlemen, start your engines, or more aptly, your recruiting.

The Big Ten’s recruiting wars are so much fun to watch from an outsider’s view, and reading the opinion columns on the fight have made me laugh.

If you’re a supporter of the Ohio State Buckeyes or the Michigan State Spartans though, you probably view this fight in a different light. Speaking a few weeks ago in Canton, Ohio, Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi ripped Meyer for poaching a Spartan recruit .

“(The agreement) has been between the coaches,” Narduzzi told reporters. “Jim Tressel and Mark Dantonio would never call or talk to each other’s commitments. People coach Dantonio knows well don’t come in and take players away. When you do, you lose friendships over that.

“It sets a tone and starts a recruiting rivalry. I guess it’s fair game. You don’t want it to be that way, but that’s how it is.”

Wisconsin’s head coach Bret Beilema even called out Meyer publically before the Big Ten coaches met in Chicago.  “There are a few things that happened early on that I made people aware of that I didn't want to see in this league, that I had seen take place in other leagues,” Bielema said on Signing Day to the media. “Other recruiting tactics, other recruiting practices that are illegal. I was very up front and was very pointed to the fact, actually reached out to coach Meyer and shared my thoughts and concerns with him. The situation got rectified.”

Of course this angered Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith who responded with this: “I am disappointed that negative references have been made about our football coaches, and particularly head coach Urban Meyer regarding recruiting. In our league appropriate protocol, if you have concerns, is to share those concerns with your Athletic Director (AD). Then your AD will make the determination on the appropriate communication from that point forward. The ADs in our league are professionals and communicate with each other extremely well.” 

But the Ohio State-Wisconsin war didn’t end there, in fact, Ohio State’s much outspoken president, Dr. Gordon Gee decided to weigh in when he visited with the OSU school newspaper .

“We hired the best coach and we went out and got the best kids so get a life,” Gee told the newspaper about Bielema's criticism of Meyer.

I still contend that the people that should be “getting a life” in the whole hoopla surrounding Signing Day should be all the adults who put way too much stock into these young men signing their lives away to play college football. Four years ago Gee was probably ecstatic that his then-head coach Jim Tressel landed Terrelle Pryor.

See how that worked out for Ohio State?

No matter where you come down in this argument (and I for one, feel strongly that Gee’s comment furthers the nationwide hatred for Ohio State. How can you not dislike a school whose president is out telling people to get a life? He’s the president, not the AD. Shouldn’t he be worried about academics?) it should be fun to see just how much the recruiting atmosphere in the Big Ten changes with Urban Meyer in Columbus.

Because if these fights keep happening year after year, it’s going to be really entertaining.

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In news today, Ohio State and UC have announced the two future dates for the two schools to meet on the gridiron. UC will travel to Columbus for both games, the first on Sept. 27, 2014 and the second on Sept. 8, 2018 .